Phil Donahue

Phillip John Donahue was born into a middle-clash Irish family in Cleveland, OH on Dec. 21, 1935. His parents were both retail workers who sent their son to a variety of Catholic educational institutions, including St. Edward High School in Lakewood and the University of Notre Dame. His on-air debut came while he was working as a production assistant at Cleveland's KYW radio when the regular announcer failed to show up for work. Donahue stepped in and was captivated by the idea that his voice was being transmitted to a listening audience. Shortly after graduation, he landed the news director position at WABJ in Adrian, MI, which gave him invaluable experience as a reporter. This led to stint... Continue Bio >>